Badminton Coach Andy Chong

Recently our beloved badminton coach Andy Wengkai Chong (张永佳) was diagnosed with metastatic pancreatic cancer. Within 48 hours, in his usual calm voice, he announced his diagnosis to the students at his clinic and their waiting parents. Right then and there, with Andy back to coaching, a group of parents launched the fundraiser from the gym bleachers, to support their beloved, well respected, and highly regarded badminton coach.

A familiar figure in the world of badminton, Andy Chong has been a dedicated coach training junior badminton athletes and adults alike, and promoting the sport of badminton in the U.S. Recently the U.S. junior badminton national team achieved great successes, some unprecedented, beating countries that had

historically taken the lead in the highest level of international badminton competitions. A parent accompanying his child on the team in the past two years observed that “the dedication and experience” and “the thoughtfulness and care” of the team’s head coach Andy had helped make the successes possible.

Regarded as an “extraordinary badminton talent” by a pro athlete of his time, Andy has represented the US and Malaysia in the highest level international competitions. As a coach, his presence inspired everyone on court, from a seven-year-old beginner, to a seventeen-year-old aspiring professional player, to a seventy-year-old retired athlete. “Extremely kind” was the comment on his character by a well-respected club member with whom Andy had crossed roads for decades. Andy would help his young student pick up scattered shuttlecocks on the court to save the child’s training time, kneeling on his knee stiffened from decades of badminton. A club member recalled that on a warm spring morning, some preschoolers from the Montessori school downstairs stopped by the court to watch. Andy walked over and handed them a shuttlecock. He asked them to count the feathers, his gentle smile radiating his love of badminton and his hope for the next generation of great badminton players. The woman who had hired Andy to run her club’s junior programs wrote that “I can actually say that everyone loved him.”

At this moment, Andy is facing one of the most challenging times in his life. While he is fighting with all his might, we would like to support him. Please join us. Donation of any amount, big or small, would make a difference.

Please join us and wish Andy the best. A talented athlete. A dedicated coach. A good man.

Go Andy!